K A I R A

2 0

While Nathan was away at the food line, Daniel and I engaged in small talk. Mostly about the four subjects we'd be having tests on for the next two days of our tests. Although we were talking, I wasn't completely listening.

My head was still dwelling in the clouds of Nathan's smile and our reconcilation-ish. Not to be mistaken, I was only happy we could be good friends again.

Daniel snapped his fingers in my face. I drew my head back and blinked. "Did you hear me?"

I blinked again. "Mm?"

He shook his head and drank the last of his Pepsi, consuming the last part of his lunch. Mine was halfway finished. I had half eaten chicken, half eaten rice, half full orange juice.

"What were you saying na?" I asked when he didn't respond. Suddenly hands covered my eyes, blocking my vision. I knew the owner of the soft, partly hairy hands when I felt them. Was this what Daniel was trying to tell me? "Amara, uncover my eyes biko."

She laughed softly, doing what I asked as she uncovered my eyes to sit by my left and beside Daniel. Hanging her purple schoolbag on the edge of the backrest, she asked an obvious question, "Winch. How did you know it was me?"

"Five years," was all I said. "I can recognize everybody's hands."

"Wahala." She laughed again, then leaned towards Dan, cute eyes and all. "Did you drag her to this place?"

"Omo, it's just God." Daniel wiped his hands with tissue, not taking his eyes off me. I couldn't blame him since he had to put some effort into making me enter this place. "And to top it all, they didn't make food at home today."

"Ehen. So that's why."

"Ok, ok. Enough about that topic," I said, trying to cut out a piece of my chicken. I never cared for eating my meat last; as long as meat was part of my food, I ate it whenever I wanted. I glanced up at Amara after getting a bite of the chicken. "Further maths—"

"Don't mention it," Amara cut me off.

Daniel whipped his head towards her, shock clearly written on his face. "Ah ah, babe. What happened?"

She shook her head, fishing out some money from her navy blue purse. An apologetic look on her face, she zipped her purse closed and touched Daniel's shoulder while managing to switch glances from me to Daniel. "It wasn't good. So please let's pretend that we didn't write that subject today."

"Why don't you drop it?" I dropped my spoon, rubbing my palms together. The subject wasn't a compulsory one. Amara didn't even need it to be admitted into the uni to study her course of interest. Amara and Daniel shared a common are you serious look, making me nod in quick realization. "Oh."

Amara stood. "Be right back."

Daniel waited till our best friend was a safe distance away from us before saying, hands to his temple, "Sometimes I feel like punching her dad's belly everytime I see him and watch his mouth open in confusion."

"Belly?" I nearly choked on my juice. After getting myself, I asked, "Why not his face?"

The man was very much irritating. Calling him irritating was an understatement. He was one of the reasons most of our together nights on Friday's were spent at my house. Her dad always made sure to breath down our necks, constantly checking whatever we were doing. Even if we were doing something as simple as a discussing our favourite movies.

Honestly, I couldn't imagine my dad being that overbearing. God knows how bitter I'd have become.

"I can't punch his face," Daniel groaned, his face twisted in utter irritation. "Mara got her some of her facial features from him, so I guess not."